AUSTIN, Texas — A recent audit of the Austin Fire Department (AFD) found the department is spending millions of dollars on overtime. The City of Austin asked AFD what can be done to reduce those costs. In response, the fire chief released a proposed roadmap for reducing overtime.
For the 2023 fiscal year, AFD was required to not go over a $9.6 million overtime budget, but according to a memo sent by Fire Chief Joel Baker to city leaders, the department is on track to surpass that budget by over $2 million.
"I think that's the first step, being transparent with our budget and letting the community know... [to] respond to the taxpayers and city council as well," Baker said.
In the memo sent to the Austin City Council this week, Baker made three requests to help reduce overtime.
The first is to increase the department's overtime budget by $2 million.
"The Austin Fire Department is constantly growing," Baker said. "We have added ... at least five new stations since I've been here. We have two more that's being built ... So, we need to increase our overtime to grow with the fire department."
The second request is for $700,000 to fund nine full-time firefighters and additional equipment for when firefighters are out on paid time off.
The third request is $850,000 for eight full-time firefighters and equipment on 2-person squads to cover special assignments and increased call load in specific neighborhoods.
The addition of more full-time firefighters will help with emergency staffing needs and reduce overtime expenses, according to Baker.
"We are doing our best to make sure that we still deliver the high level of service that the city needs and a high level service the city and tax payers expect from us," Baker said.
The chief said AFD has had to reduce spending in other areas to meet the overtime budget. The department has stopped certain training and has put off buying uniforms and other equipment.
None of these are critical needs right now, but if the purchases keep being put off, that could impact the firefighters' workflow and could eventually impact response times.
As of now, AFD is operating like normal and firefighters are getting services to everyone who needs them.